


A Strange Request at a Piano Bar

by Wanderlust016



Series: Book o' Prompts [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV), Original Work
Genre: Abduction, Abuse, Rape, References to Drugs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:06:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25904815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wanderlust016/pseuds/Wanderlust016
Summary: It was a boring night out and an overall boring life that had led her to be in that bar that night. She was just simple girl and he was just a simple guy, but it turns out there was nothing boring about that night or simple about that guy.
Series: Book o' Prompts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879972
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	1. Serenity in Darkness

There was always some sort of peace that could be found during the night, but like most things, there is a duality, and darkness is no exception. Of course, calm could be seen, but there was also danger; at times, even anxiety would wrap itself around an unwitting participant. At night, every sound was a potential threat, and even the silence could be cause for concern. Like a child, adults walk with uncertainty in the blackness, even in their own homes, unsure of what could be found lurking behind every corner or door. There always seemed to be this faceless, nameless bogeyman haunting a person's thoughts and waiting in people's homes for the perfect time to strike and to destroy this semblance of peace. The quiet of the night also brought about an uneasy serenity that allowed a kind of freedom that dared not debut in the light. The stillness could be found in the whispers of lovers who lay intertwined with sheets twisted between them damp with sweat or the shattering of glass and within the heavy steps that follow as a man enters a house that is not his own.

But then there was a pure kind of darkness that could only be found in obscurity. The type of night that suffocated the earth like an old, damp, musty blanket that shrouded and settled itself against everything. The forest harbored this kind of darkness; it fed off the uncertainty many felt when the sunlight left nothing but the twinkling stars to illuminate its darkest paths. Tonight’s shadows gave no mercy. It slowly consumed the day, and all too quickly, the trees that encircled the area drifted off into anonymity. The sound of crickets and the accompanying whistle of the wind whipping through the leaves and grass encompassed the space playing a symphony. A song that no one could quite place but were quite familiar with its tune.

A lone figure bathed in the moonlight laying impossibly still in the open field was the only thing to not be devoured by the night. Their eyes stared unblinkingly up at the glittering stars against the inky night sky. A small, mysterious smile lifted the corners of her lips as if taunting all those who looked upon her that she knew something they should all desperately know. The secret was about a darkness not unlike the one that devoured the forest, this kind was held in the hearts of man who seemed meek like prey but were as vicious as a **_predator_**. Her body may have been drenched in light, but the darkness of man had consumed her soul long before the shadows came to the forest, and the crickets performed the duet with the wind.


	2. Teetering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girl and the guy finally meet.

She sat alone in the corner of the mostly empty bar. Her fingers twirled her hair as if the hands were independent of the rest of her body. Their agenda was unknown, even to her. Her eyes were just as restless as they darted from object to object and eventually to the piano bar's random patrons.

As she took a dainty sip from her apple martini, her eyes began to glaze over in boredom. Finally, they settle on a wall that housed the bar's beer list. Whoever had written the list had used eye-catching colors and a cute little cartoon of a frosty mug of beer jauntily tilted as if about to spill, but it never would. She felt almost a kindred connection with that mug of beer, she mused. She often thought she was seconds away from spilling. Still, she never did, instead preferring always to teeter close to the edge. Perhaps _prefer_ was the wrong word, but it was the "nicest" word that came to mind when describing the never-ending agony that went with this particular tug of war. The wanting of nothing more than the reprieve of falling forward and knowing the relief would be short-lived if she ever gave in.

Her almost dead-eyed stare at the wall continued, and she allowed her mind to wander as she thought about her night. With no one to engage with, she figured that this drink would be her last. She would slink home to slip into her oversized pajamas, flip through the channels until finding something suitable, and then sleep would claim her. Her mouth quirked up into an almost smile at the thought of a lazy night in.

That was the plan, but movement seen from the corner of her eye gave her pause. Shaking out of her almost catatonic state, she slowly turned her head to see a man who seemed to be casting furtive glances in her direction. In her hour of mindless gazing, she had not seen him, and that seemed to track as he was completely unassuming.

He was a tall and gangly man with a scraggly beard and had a hunch to his shoulders as if a considerable weight were pressing down upon them. A pair of glasses were perched carefully on his face. Still, there was a slight crookedness as they lay there whether from the frames themselves or perhaps from a crooked nose remained to be seen. He seemed out of place and awkward in a bar, especially one that encouraged the brave and the drunk to sing to the masses. Still, there he sat sipping a beer, looking almost nervous. Like a beat upon dog seeing a hand reaching towards him, the animal would be unsure if it would bring pain or pleasure.

Her eyes momentarily slid back to the silly beer mug, and by the time she looked back, the unassuming gentleman was gone. She shook off her surprise and began to collect her things to leave when a hand laid itself against her shoulder. She started at the touch and looked up to see the lanky man. Blinking almost owlishly, she slowly returned her possessions to their previous places, gesturing for him to have a seat and, with that small movement, removed his hand from her person.

"Hello." Her voice seemed cheerful, but there was an edge of caution, as well.

"Hello to you too." His voice was higher pitched than she thought it would be and caused her to quirk an eyebrow in response. They lapsed into a brief silence as neither made a move to continue. Unable to stand the awkward silence, she asked his name. "My name is Ethan; I study over at the community college near here. I don't think I have ever seen you here before."

She notices that he never asks for her name, but she does not offer it either.

"I don't go out that often and if I do, I normally have friends. Tonight, unintentionally became a solo kind of night." She says with a slight laugh.

She moves to take another sip of her drink only to find that it is empty. She gestures to the bartender for another as he asks about her friends, job, and small things about her life. Something about him makes her brain itch. Like there was something her eyes were seeing that her brain could not comprehend.

"Would you go out with me tonight? I know a place that's a lot of fun, but it's better with two." He asks suddenly.

She blinks. What an odd request from a stranger, even more bizarre when you consider that it was nearing 10:30 at night. She laughs a little and waves her hand as she says, "Don't you think it's a little late?"

There is a change in his face that happens so quickly that she thinks she might have imagined it. As soon as she noticed it, the mask of an unremarkable man slipped back onto his features.

He smiles and states, "Everyone can use a late-night adventure." She still looks unsure and flounders as she shrugs but does not answer him. He holds his hands up like he is surrendering.

He talks some more about his life, no longer seeming interested in hers. She wonders why she even entertained him in the first place. It was not like she was interested in him, and there was something about him that gave her pause. The best way to describe this weird feeling that had settled in her chest was that they were two puzzle pieces, but pieces for two separate puzzles with no chance of fitting. A strange weight had settled upon her, and she decided she had had enough. She makes a show of checking her phone and politely lets him know that it is time for her to go home. At this point, the bar is starting to get a little more packed as scores of people look for some Friday night entertainment.

He leans in to ask if he could walk her to her car, but she quickly shakes her head, saying, "That's not necessary." Again, the mask slips. But hastily, his lips stretch into some semblance of a smile, and asks for her number. Knowing that she can merely block his phone number after she makes it home, she agrees.

They finally part, and she makes her through the crowd and out the door. Once the door shuts behind her, she can still hear the light melody from a piano and the buzz of people talking. Some cars drive past, but otherwise, it seems she is entirely alone; no one coming in or out of the establishment for the time being.

The cold air bites at her uncovered arms. It is as if it is admonishing her for forgetting to put on her jacket before braving the outdoors. Muttering about how cold it had gotten, she quickly starts to walk to her car, placing the strap of her purse in her mouth as she struggles to put her coat on.

So preoccupied with her things she did not realize the figure standing behind her.


End file.
